Sudan's Army-Backed Government Criticizes Uganda for Hosting Rival Paramilitary Chief Dagalo

Khartoum. Sudan's army-backed government criticized Uganda on Sunday for hosting paramilitary chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, following criticism from the Ugandan President who described the welcome as an "insult to humanity."

Since April 2023, the Sudanese army, led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been at war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Burhan's former deputy, known as Hemedti in Sudan.

Hemedti met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Entebbe on Friday, one day after a United Nations investigation found his forces guilty of genocide in Darfur.

Sudan's Foreign Ministry criticized the meeting on Sunday, stating, "The atrocities of the RSF have been documented by the international community and condemned by regional organizations of which Uganda is a member, including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)."

Speaking during his visit, Dagalo said, "He went to Uganda after the Sudanese army contacted President Museveni for mediation."

His visit came a week after Museveni invited Malik Agar, Burhan's deputy in Sudan's ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council.

Addressing supporters on Friday, Dagalo called for African-led mediation.

He said, "Since the first day of the war, we have said that negotiations must be under African mediation."

Attempts to secure a ceasefire have repeatedly failed.

Last January, the Sudanese army stated it was studying a new proposal from the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Talks mediated by the Quad, comprising the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, have been stalled for months. Burhan has accused the group of siding with the UAE, which is alleged to have supplied weapons to the RSF. Abu Dhabi has denied claims of supporting the paramilitary forces.

Friday's meeting followed his first regional tour in December 2023, and was the second meeting between the RSF commander and Museveni. Analysts suggest Hemedti is attempting to gain legitimacy with African leaders.

He has since declared a rival administration in Darfur, which has received no international recognition.

In his speech on Friday, Dagalo described the conflict as a "war of existence" and vowed victory.

He stated that if it were not for drone attacks from neighboring countries, his forces could have already captured the capital Khartoum and Port Sudan on the "Red Sea," following reports of Egypt and Turkey attacking his supply lines in Darfur.

The war, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 11 million, and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crisis.